Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	faith_n	godliness_n	temperance_n	4,219	5	11.6041	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61731	A sermon preached at the assizes held at Dorchestor in the county of Dorset, upon the fourth day of March in the year of our Lord 1669 by John Straight ...	Straight, John, 1605?-1680.	1670 (1670)	Wing S5808A; ESTC R9809	21,640	33

sound Christian is here described viz. by his pains and industry in digging deep and cometh next in order to be spoken of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui fodit fodit in altum which digged and digged deep Idlenss beloved is a cruel stepdame to vertue and want of employment the most corrupting fly that can blow in any humane mind Ezek. 16. 49. By this Egistus grew adulterate by that the Sodomites incestuous He therefore that would be a good Christian he must take pains he must dig deep Bonav Per descensum humilitatis as Bonaventure speaks Stella Dura poenitentiae opera exercendo so Stella commenting on this place We must not think to go to Heaven with a wet finger 't is not a Lord have mercy on us will bring us thither No Beloved we must be digged yea and deep digged too here in Gods vineyard before we can come to receive our reward We must weep we must watch we must pray in the evening morning and at noon-day and that instantly We must search the Scriptures with diligence read Gods word with delight and meditate in the same with continuance both day and night Non est à terris mollis ad astra via The way to Heaven is no easie way 't is no going thither in a Feather bed Menand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if thou wilt be happy thou must labour for it so Menander Many there are I know who fain would go to Heaven but loth they are to take the pains gladly would they enter in at the streight gate that leads to life but loth they are to strive yea and willingly would they receive the penny but loth they are to undergo the labour Sed numen non favet otiosis nec pigris vult enim sua munera ad nos per nostram venire industriam so Plutarch The supreme power cares not saith he for sluggish and sloathful persons but will have his gifts come to us through our own industry Applic. Away then away I say with that dangerous and diabolical suggestion of Satan if I am predistinated to salvation I shall certainly be saved I 'le therefore take neither care nor pains but live as I list No no beloved our industry must co-opperate with the grace of God inciting us and diligence must be given to make our calling and election sure so Saint Peter tells 2 Pet. 1. 10. us For though it be most sure in Gods electing purpose Yet can no man know the certainty of it but only by this viz. by yielding prompt obedience to Gods commandments by joyning vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience with patience godliness with godliness brotherly kindness and with brotherly kindness 2 Pet. 15 6 7. 8. love For if these things be among you and abound they will make you that you neither shall be idle nor unfruitful in the acknowledging of our Lord Jesus Christ so farre Saint Peter Vse 2. Be admonished now therefore O ye fruitless fig-trees at length to bring forth fruit worthy of repentance and cumber not the ground here in Gods vineyard with barren idleness Let not your Talent which God hath lent you lye rusting in a napkin but now imploy it to the best advantage and if you would be partakers with Gods children in their happy recompence be you sure then to participate with them in their laborious paines Socrates I remember reports of one that quenched his ardent desires of going to see the olympick Games with the thought of the tedious travaile thither but farre be this from us beloved Let not the conceit of a painful passage to eternal happiness deterre any of us from undertaking this so profitable though painful a journey thither nor drive us with the unjust Steward in the Gospel to Luk. 16. 3. a quid faciam fodere non valeo to a what shall I do I cannot dig No no Hierom. Nam nullus labor durus nullum tempus longum videri debet quo gloria aeternitatis acquiritur as St Hierom speasts No labour ought to seem great no time to be esteemed greivous by which eternal glory is attained There was never good thing easily come by The Heathen man could say that the Gods did sell knowledge for swet and so may I say that our God sells Heaven for industry Plutarch wherefore my beloved brethren work yea and dig out your salvation with fear and trembling fight the 2 Tim. 4. 7. 1 Cor. 9. 24. 1 Cor. 15. 58. good fight and so run the race of Christianity here that ye may obtain the Crown of immortality hereafter Be ye stedfast and unmoveable and abundant alway in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. And thus I pass from this second thing by which a sincere Christian is here described viz. from his paines and industry in digging deep unto the third which is his wisdome and discretion in laying his foundation on a Rock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And laid his foundation on a Rock The Papists though perhaps hitherto may seem to appropriate this description to themselves alone or at the least to challenge a priority in it before us Protestants and that because they are most beautiful builders in works of merit most industrious laborers in painful pilgrimages yea and most deep diggers too even under Parliament houses yet because they are defective in this third thing by which a true beleiver is here described viz. because they want wisdome to lay their foundation on a Rock they are therefore hence excluded from among the number of Gods faithful and fruitful builders who do not only build houses and dig deep but lay their foundation also upon a Rock Posuitque fundamentum supra petram And laid his foundation on a Rock Positio est or do partium in loco so the Philosopher Position is the true ordering of several parts in their proper place hence therefore after the removal of all impedimental rubbish taken away by our digging deep immediately here followeth a positio fundamenti a laying a foundation Which foundation is faith in Christ for other foundations can no man lay saith the 1 Cor. 3 11. Apostle Now this foundation of faith must be laid upon a Rock even upon that spiritual Rock Christ Jesus as the 1 Cor. 10. 4. same Apostle speaks Non super petrum sed super petram Not upon Peter nor yet his successors the Popes I mean as the Papists would fain have it meant but upon that firm sollid and immoveable Rock of Peters confession Math. ●… 16. 18 Thou art the Son of the living God upon this Rock will I build my Church saith our Saviour As if he should have said upon this thy firm confession by which thou dost acknowledge and beleive me to be Christ the Son of the living God will I build my Church Flock and Family